Uttar Pradesh MSMEs clock Rs 1,950-cr investment

About 24,600 units in the sector have been established, resulting in jobs for about 1,55,000 people

The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector in Uttar Pradesh has, so far in the current financial year, clocked investments to the tune of Rs 1,950 crore.

About 24,600 units in the sector have been established, which resulted in job opportunities for about 1,55,000 people.

State chief secretary Jawed Usmani attributed the trend to the web-based single window clearance system. Till date, about 34,386 proposals had been received, of which 34,341 had been disposed of.

Usmani was talking to newspersons in New Delhi yesterday after inaugurating the Uttar Pradesh pavilion at the International Trade Fair.

Usmani reiterated that the state government was targetting a 11.2 per cent industrial growth with the new Infrastructure & Industrial Investment Policy 2012.

The new policy provided for sops to entrepreneurs, stamp duty waiver and facilities for units proposed in the backward Purvanchal, Bundelkhand and Madhyachal regions of the state.

He informed the state was giving pension of Rs 1,000 per month to 153 weavers under the pension scheme to encourage artisans.

Under the micro cluster scheme, clusters had been approved in Unnao (zari, zardozi) and Meerut (embroidery, artificial jewellery). Besides, seven clusters had received in principle approval from the Centre.

To boost the leather industry and attract investment of about Rs 2,000 crore, two Greenfield ‘Mega Leather Cluster’ projects had already been given in-principle approval by the Chief Minister in September. Each cluster was projected to attract investment of Rs 1,000 crore and collectively create 10,000 employment opportunities.

Yadav had directed the UP State Industrial Development Corporation to make available land for these projects. One of the clusters would come up around in 300 acres of land in Sandila industrial area in Hardoi district.

The second project would come up in Kanpur’s Ramaipur area, for which 625 acres have been identified.